


Hail to the King

by Rraz45



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Anna, Dean Winchester is Castiel's Parent, Dean is Michael, F/M, Gen, Hurt Dean Winchester, Protective Sam Winchester
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-18 10:27:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28990686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rraz45/pseuds/Rraz45
Summary: Set before Season 1. Dean turns up at Bobby's place with his memory fading fast. However, is there more to Dean's past than anyone realizes? A past life of Dean's comes back, and no one can escape the destiny he tried to escape.
Relationships: Anna Milton/Dean Winchester, Jessica Moore/Sam Winchester, Sarah Blake/Sam Winchester, Unrequited Jo Harvelle/Dean Winchester - Relationship
Comments: 34
Kudos: 31





	1. Chapter 1

For Bobby it was the start of a normal day. Wake up, take care of the dog, work on that charger in the back, and cover any hunter who called the special lines. When Bobby needed a break from tearing apart the Charger, the aging hunter would work on research for an upcoming hunt. It seemed like a simple salt and burn a couple of towns over.

He was just skimming through the last month’s obituaries when there was a knock at the door. Bobby looked up and reached for closet shotgun by his desk. Salt rounds may not kill the unwanted intruder, but they could grant the hunter enough time to get the necessary weapons.

He closed the distance between himself and the door very cautiously. As Bobby was about to reach for the door, the person on the other side knocked loudly again. “Bobby, it’s me Dean,” the voice of Dean Winchester was unmistakable. The tension in the older hunter’s shoulders vanished, and he was quick to open the door. Dean smiled widely at the sight of the other hunter. “Hey, I could use some help,” the Winchester added with an unabashed grin.

Bobby took a second to study the younger man. There were bags under the boy’s vibrant green eyes. In addition, there was a nasty looking bruise on the left side of the handsome Winchester’s face, and that side of his face was already swollen. “Jesus,” the older of the two muttered with a whistle, “don’t tell me you decided to give pro wrestling a go.”

Dean smiled and shook his head. “I hate witches. In addition to knocking me around into the closet wall, the bitch threw some kind of spell on me,” he explained.

Instantly, Bobby was back on alert. “You know what kind of spell?” he asked as he motioned for Dean to come inside.

Dean shook his head as he entered the house. “No idea,” he answered, “but I’m already feeling some effects.”

The two headed straight for the kitchen. The first thing Bobby handed the younger man was a flask of holy water. When Dean passed that test, the Winchester was given a cold beer. “What effects?” Bobby asked as they sipped on their beers.

Dean closed his eyes as he swallowed down the ale. Bobby always had the good stuff. After finishing his swig, Dean paused a minute before explaining. “I’m starting to forget things. It started when I picked up this waitress after the hunt. I woke up and forgot where I was and who the hell she was.”

The elder of the two grunted. “You sure that had nothing to do with how much you were drinking?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Sighing, the Winchester shook his head. “I don’t really go on a bender like that after a hunt, especially if a hunt involved witches. You never know if you missed one of those skank asses,” he elaborated.

Bobby knew the other hunter had a point. Dean worked hard and played just as hard. However, the Winchesters were not known for being careless. Studying the young man in front of him, Bobby realized something. “There’s more isn’t there?”

Dean looked away, pursed his lips, and nodded his head. “I’m forgetting more and more things. I can’t remember where that hunt was. I can’t remember where Dad is or his new cell number,” he admitted.

Cursing under his breath, Bobby rubbed his greying beard. This did not sound good at all. “Can you remember how long ago that last hunt was?” the hunter was almost afraid to find out the answer.

The look of fear in the Winchester’s emerald orbs was unsettling. Dean swallowed and shook his head. He could not trust his voice at the moment. How long will it be before he got to the point that he forgot everything?

Dean had already been at Bobby’s for over a day now. It seemed like every hour the eldest Winchester son was forgetting more and more. When Dean walked up to him and asked where Sam and John were, Singer knew it was time to call in reinforcements. None of his research turned up anything, ad Dean was continuing to get worse and worse.

“Seriously, Sam should be home from school now, so where is he? Dad on another hunt?” the younger hunter wondered.

There was a confused look on the aging hunter’s face. “Dean, how old is Sam?” the hunter wondered.

Dean’s eyes narrowed like he could not believe Bobby would ask such a stupid question. “Sammy is sixteen and too smart to not let me know if he was going somewhere besides school and home,” Dean responded as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Bobby did not even bother to curse under his breath. Things were getting real bad here. “Let me call your old man,” Bobby replied, “I think Sam went with him on this last hunt.” He did not even wait for a response before turning his back on the young man and making his way into his study.

In just one day, Dean had already forgotten six years of his life. How much more was Dean going to lose in the next twenty four hours? Reaching for his phone on his desk, Bobby dialed the number he hated to dial. It continued to ring and ring. Bobby thought it was going to voicemail when the call was finally answered. “Hello,” the gruff, clipped tone of John Winchester answered.

Bobby took a deep breath before speaking, “John, it’s me Bobby.”

There was surprise evident in the patriarch of the Winchester clan’s voice as he responded, “Bobby? Never thought I’d get a call from you given the last time I saw ya.”

Oh, Bobby remembered vividly the last time he saw John Winchester. The more experienced hunter shoved a shotgun in the Winchester’s face and threw him off his property. But now was not the time for petty feuds. “Yeah I know,” Singer grumbled, “but I got Dean here with me, and he is in bad shape.”

“Is Dean alright?” John was on high alert. “What’s wrong with him?” The sound of keys jingling could be heard through the call.

“It’s hard to explain. You need to head over here. How long will it take it to head on over?” Bobby questioned.

It sounded like John Winchester was getting into his truck. “I just finished a hunt here Toledo,” John replied, “If I leave now, I can be there in a little more than twelve hours.”

Bobby could hear Dean yelling for Sam from the kitchen. Maybe Singer was calling the wrong Winchester. But Sam was out of the life and refusing to see his family. But maybe if he knew it was Dean…. “Just get here fast Winchester,” Bobby instead spoke.

John was silent for a couple of heart beats before replying, “Already on the road. I will see you soon.” Even though John Winchester knew nothing about Dean’s situation, it was parental instinct to know it was something serious.

Half a day later, John Winchester was pulling into Singer Salvage Yard. The Winchester patriarch quickly parked at the front of the house and rushed inside. “Bobby?” John called, “Dean!”

“In here!” Bobby’s voice yelled back. The voice seemed to be coming from the study. Still, John could have sworn he heard movement coming from the kitchen. Needing answers, John decided to head for the study.

He inwardly sighed in relief when he caught sight of the other hunter’s form. “Bobby, mind telling me what the hell is going on? Where is my son?”

Bobby looked up from the ancient tome he was still reading. He still found no hints on an easy reversal for the curse on Dean. “Dean was on a hunt involving a witch, and he got hit with some kind of curse when he ganked her,” the older of the two began to explain.

Taking a seat, John reached for the offered glass of whiskey. He downed it in one gulp. The dark amber burned, but it did nothing to ease his anxiety. “Is Dean here?” the father demanded answers, “What kind of condition is he in? I need to see him.” John Winchester could not lose another member of his family.

Bobby took a sip of his own whiskey. Dean had gotten much worse over the last few hours. “Best I can figure is it some kind of memory curse,” Singer began to explain.

With narrowed eyes, John demanded, “What kind of memory curse?”

Both hunters got to their feet. As Bobby led John into the kitchen, he added, “It’s wiping his memories away completely. Yesterday he had forgotten Sam was at college, and today….”

John stopped in his tracks. There was a look of dread on his weary face. “Tell me,” he all but begged.

Bobby did not get the chance to answer him because they had walked into the kitchen. As soon as they passed the doorway, a plate was thrown in their direction. “I’m not going to ask again,” the younger Winchester threatened, “who the hell are you?” Dean was holding another plate, ready to throw if he did not get an answer that satisfied him.

Turning his head to his old friend, Bobby explained, “He has no idea who I am. He as forgotten most of the life too.”

Swallowing, John took a hesitant step toward his son. “Dean, it’s me, Dad. Put the plate down,” John spoke calmly to his son.

Green eyes stared into his father’s dark eyes. “Dad?” Dean’s voice was soft and full of confusion. Slowly, he lowered the plate in his hand. “Where is Sammy?” he pleaded for an answer.

John took a step closer to his eldest son. “Sammy is safe; I promise Dean,” the eldest Winchester’s voice was unusually soft. It was so like Dean to always be most concerned about Sammy; John raised Dean to think that way after all.

Suddenly, Dean tilted his head as he kept his gaze on his father, “Is Sammy with Mom?” he asked with an unsure voice.

It was like John Winchester was drenched with a bucket of ice water. Even the tendrils of his heart constricted with his son’s words. Could Dean truly have forgotten the last twenty two years of his life? “Yeah Dean,” John Winchester lied, “Sammy and Mom are back home while you and I visit Bobby, a family friend.”

Dean swallowed nervously and lowered his gaze to the floor. “Can we go home and see them now?” he shyly asked. Home promised safety from all the confusion in his head at the moment. There was something wrong with him, but he could not explain it nor remember the feeling. But his family will keep him safe.

It was easy enough to settle Dean on the couch. John found some eighties action flick to keep his boy distracted. Then the older hunter was following Bobby back to the study. Bobby poured them more whiskey before sitting back down at his desk.

“Do you know anything that can get his memory back?” John asked after downing his whiskey like a shot. It hurt so much that Dean did not even remember Mary’s death.

Rubbing his beard, Bobby answered, “Well I may have a possible lead, but it’s a long shot and probably won’t work.”

“Something is better than nothing,” John responded. He would do anything to protect his boys; they were all he had left.

Instead of immediately answering, Bobby grabbed a book from the floor, opened it to the right page, turned it around, and passed it to the other hunter. “I think our best bet is a Trickster,” the more experienced hunter stated.

“A Trickster?” the Winchester questioned as he skimmed the chapter Bobby wanted him to read. “Why a Trickster?”

“Besides going to another witch, or worse a demon, they are the only ones who got the mojo to reverse witchcraft,” Bobby explained.

The elder hunter raised an eyebrow. “And I assume you already tracked one?” he figured.

Bobby nodded his head. “Was researching while I waited for you to get here. Found a string of strange deaths in Peoria that match a Trickster’s M.O.,” he continued.

There was something Bobby was not telling John thought. “Then what are we waiting for?” the Winchester probed.

Bobby sighed. This was going to be the part… to get the stubborn Winchester on board. “With Dean’s memory the way it is, we might need something or someone he has a strong connection to for his memory to not fully deteriorate,” Bobby added.

John knew right away that Singer was not talking about Dean’s relationship with his father. “You’re talking about Sam,” he mused.

“There is no one Dean is closer to,” Bobby countered, “even now, Dean is still asking for his little brother.”

Sighing, John rubbed his face with both hands. “Sam is not going to want to speak to me much less see me,” the Winchester admitted.

“Let me get Sam, you trap the Trickster,” Singer offered. Bobby knew he could get Sam to help Dean. Sam would do it for Dean.

John glanced at the entryway to where Dean was sitting. “What are we going to do about Dean?” the father wondered aloud, “neither one of us can take him with us.”

There was only one place Bobby knew Dean could go and be safe. “I may have the answer to that too….”


	2. Chapter 2

“You really think she is going to be ok with this?” John Winchester asked after they parked their cars in front of the Roadhouse. The last time John Winchester visited this establishment, it was to tell Ellen Harvelle that her husband Bill did not make it back to her from their last hunt. The look on Ellen’s face when he told her about Bill was one John Winchester was all too familiar with. John did not want to be a reminder of what Ellen lost.

Bobby moved to stand in front of the other hunter. Dean was still in the Impala staring at the two older men with wide eyes. “Of course she will. I will go inside to explain things to her, and wait out here with Dean,” Bobby responded. When John nodded his head in agreement, the other hunter went inside.

It was still early afternoon, and the restaurant was technically open even though there were no customers inside. Bobby found Ellen and her daughter Jo behind the bar restocking some of the liquor bottles. Bobby cleared his throat and greeted, “Ellen, it’s good to see ya.”

Ellen Harvelle looked up and smiled warmly at the hunter. “Bobby Singer, always a pleasure. What can I do for you?” she greeted back.

Moving closer to the bar, Bobby leaned against it and started to explain, “I got John Winchester and his boy Dean outside with me.” He knew all about the history between the Winchesters and the Harvelles, so Singer knew to tread lightly.

The woman’s dark eyes became guarded and steely at the mere mention of John Winchester. “What does John want?” she could not help but demand coldly.

Taking a deep breath, Bobby answered, “It’s his boy, Ellen. Something is wrong with him. Dean is in no condition to be on a hunt right now, and he needs to be somewhere safe.” He really hoped she would be willing to help them.

Ellen studied the other man for a long moment. “This hunt you and John are going on better be to help that boy,” she relented.

Relief washed over the male hunter. He was grateful she was willing to help them. Nodding his head, Bobby added, “It is. John is going to trap a Trickster, and we think it can cure Dean.”

Licking her lips, Ellen pushed the bottle of whiskey out of her way. “Tell John he and Dean can come inside,” she stated. She just hoped that she would not regret this decision.

Immediately, Bobby headed for the door and signaled for the Winchesters to join him inside. A moment later, John Winchester was leading a nervous Dean into the place. The Winchester boy seemed reluctant to come inside or leave his father’s side. When they had joined the others, John commented, “He’s not even speaking anymore Bobby.” It worried the father to no end; John needed to be able to save his son.

Ellen understood John’s distress all too well. She was a parent, and she could not imagine anything happening to her daughter. “Don’t worry John,” she comforted the man, “Dean will be safe here, I promise.”

John smiled at the other woman’s words. “Thanks Ellen.” He knew this could not be easy for her.

Turning to her daughter, Ellen spoke, “Jo, why don’t you take Dean and show him the ropes. He can work behind the bar until they get back.” Jo bit back any comment she had before nodding her head. She then grabbed Dean’s hand and led him to the back room.

Once when they were gone, Ellen turned her attentions back to the two hunters. “Care to explain to me what exactly happened to your boy?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Bobby took off his hat and rubbed his head before putting his cap back on. “Best we can figure is that Dean got hit with a death curse that wiped his memory away We think a Trickster can reverse the spell, but we got to trap it and convince it to help us,” Bobby explained.

Ellen poured each of them a shot, and she downed hers quickly. “Sounds simple enough,” she sarcastically remarked.

She had a point, but they could not give up now. “We should only be gone for a few days. You will let me know if anything happens to Dean,” John added.

Ellen looked into his eyes for a long moment before nodding her head. “I promise John. Nothing will happen to your boy while he is here,” she responded.

John then turned back to his old friend. “Let’s go say goodbye to Dean and then head out,” the Winchester stated.

Both men headed to the back of the bar. Jo was showing Dean how to make different drinks. “We will be back real soon Dean,” John softly spoke to his son. Dean barely acknowledged his father, and it tore at the older man’s heart. Turning back to Bobby, John commented, “Let’s go.”

* * *

Sam was so happy he aced his exam; he was proud of his grades. Even in college, he maintained a 4.0 GPA, which meant he was closer and closer to his dream of attending law school. Maybe he could even get a scholarship here at Stanford and not have to leave his new home. In addition, Sam was going to prove to his family he could have a normal life.

One of the best things about his new life here at Stanford was Jess. Jess had been his girlfriend for the past year and a half. She had been introduced to Sam by their mutual friend, Brady. From the first moment Sam laid eyes on Jessica Moore, he knew she was going to change his life. For the past three months, the pair had been living together. He was even questioning whether she was the one. Maybe after they graduate college, Sam could propose to her. He could stay here to complete law school, and she could get a job as a nurse while she debated if she wanted to stay as a nurse or go to med school to become a doctor.

There was just one issue with Jess. She had no idea about the truth of his family and the “family business”. Yes, she knew his mom died in a house fire when he was a baby, and she knew that he was not close to his father or even his brother. Jess believed Sam was estranged from his drunk father because he wanted to go to school rather than follow in the family business of auto mechanics. She also knew Sam used to keep in contact with his brother, bit he stopped before he met her. Dean Winchester was one subject Jess was never to mention to her lover.

Jess and Sam were walking hand in hand back to their shared apartment. They talked about how their classes went today and what they wanted to do for dinner. “I’m so proud of you Sam,” Jess enthusiastically commented.

Sam smiled. She thought he could do anything he set his mind to, and they could have that perfect normal liked together. He was starting to believe in that dream too. “Thanks,” Sam responded, “how about tonight we go out and celebrate. We could meet Brady and the others at Ling’s and have a feast.”

Jess licked her lips at the mention of her favorite Chinese buffet. “I do love their orange chicken. Ok, let’s do it! I’ll call the others,” she replied.

They continued on their path toward the apartment. When they reached the walkway to the main entrance inside the apartment building, Jess noticed a figure sitting across from the door. “Sam,” her voice whispered. She was nervous because she did not recognize the man in front of her.

Meanwhile, Sam stopped dead in his tracks. He recognized the form sitting by the door. “Bobby?” Sam questioned. Of all the figures from his past, Sam was surprised it was Bobby who was waiting for his door. The Winchester would have expected to see his brother or his father before his dad’s old hunting pal.

Bobby smiled at the sight of the youngest Winchester. “Long time no see boy,” the older male greeted, “now you going to invite me in?” We need to talk Sam.”

Jess was so confused, and she was annoyed by that fact. Sam needed to tell her what was going on. Grabbing his arm, she asked, “Sam, who is this?”

Sam’s hazel eyes never left Bobby’s form. Why was Bobby the one to come here? Did something happen to his brother or his father? “This is Bobby,” the Winchester answered, “he is an old family friend.”

All three went inside the apartment. When they were inside, Sam grabbed a bottle of beer for each of them. Jess flared at her boyfriend and pushed her beer away from her. Both Bobby and Sam took a long swig of their beer. “What’s going on Bobby?” Sam finally asked, afraid to find out the answer.

The older male placed his beer on the countertop before explaining, ‘It’s yer brother Sam. He’s in real trouble, and he needs you.”

Nothing could make Sam freeze like the thought of Dean in trouble. Dean was Sam’s big brother, who was damn near untouchable. The elder Winchester was larger than life in his younger brother’s eyes. If Dean needed him, and Sam was not there for him, then Sam would not be able to forgive himself. “Ok, take me to Dean,” he immediately agreed.

However, there was one person in the room who was not happy with this decision. Abruptly getting to her feet, Jess demanded, “Sam, can I talk to you alone for a minute?” She did not wait for his answer before she made her way to their bedroom

Sam appeared confused, but he dutifully followed his girlfriend. When he shut the bedroom door, Jess whirred around to face her lover with her arms crossed over her chest. Poor Sam had no idea what he did to cause her ire. “What’s the matter?”

Huffing, the blond college girl took two steps closer to her lover. “What is going on with you?” she all but demanded.

Grabbing his backpack, Sam packed his clothes and his essentials. “What do you mean?” To him, he was not acting out of character.

Jess rolled her eyes and ranted, “This guy who you say is a family friend shows up, and now you are packing your bags ready to leave.” It was always a sore spot that he would never share his past with her.

Sam stopped packing to gaze into her eyes. Jess could never understand that this was Dean who in trouble, and Sam had to help his brother. “You heard Bobby. Something is wrong with my brother, and I have to go,” he responded like it was simple facts.

Jess tried to bite her lip to keep her opinions to herself, but she was not that type of person. “That’s another thing. You never talk about your family. And from what little you did tell me, it seemed like you never got along with them. So I don’t get why you are potentially throwing away your future on-” she complained.

However, Sam interrupted her before she crossed a line. “I’m not dropping out of school Jess! Dean is my brother, my family. Even though we may not get along all the time, he has always had my back.”

It was like she did not even know him; Jess was not liking this new side of Sam. Hopefully it would not last long. “How long will you be gone/” she asked after a long moment.

Sam zipped the bag closed and slung it over his shoulder. “Not too long. Probably just a few days,” he replied. When she said nothing in return, he kissed her on the cheek before opening the bedroom door.

When Sam was walking out of the bedroom, Jess finally yelled after him, “Call me!” But he gave no sign that he heard her. Why did it feel like Jess was losing him for good?

Bobby was still waiting for Sam at the kitchen island. The hunter got to his feet and followed the taller male out of the apartment. “You are going to tell me everything that happened to Dean,” Sam ordered as they headed down the stairs.

The older male raised an eyebrow. Sam was just as stubborn and headstrong as his old man. “Will do,” Bobby agreed, “and I will take you to see your brother.”

* * *

Considering everything, it was easy to teach Dean to work behind the bar. He made the drinks for the customers then handed the drinks to either Jo or Ellen. Dean did not speak, not matter how much coaxing the Havelle women did. Ellen hoped that John and/or Bobby would return soon with a cure.

It did not help that Jo seemed to flock around the Winchester boy. Yes, Dean was a looker, and he had the Winchester charm about him. Plus his reputation proceeded him. Ellen was not sure though that she wanted her baby girl entangled with Dean Winchester. Those Winchesters had a way of breaking Harvelle women’s hearts.

“You sure I can’t get a thank you out of you?” Jo easily flirted with Dean with a flick of her blond locks.

Dean’s green eyes briefly glanced at Jo’s chocolate ones before he glanced back down at the drinks he was pouring. Jos was slightly disappointed. She thought she might be able to get him to say something. It would mean something if she were the one to get him to speak again… right?


	3. Chapter 3

It was strange to start a hunt knowing which monster was behind the killings. What John Winchester needed to do was find the identity of the Trickster. The best way to do that was find the next victim. Based on the Trickster’s hunting grounds, John was certain he knew who the Trickster was going after next. The next victim should be this priest with his own T.V. service who apparently does not practice what he preaches. Apparently, Father Deacon has a taste for teenage girls. This son of a bitch was sure to be the next victim of the Trickster.

So the hunter followed the pastor, waiting for the Trickster to strike. When the pastor left his young girlfriend at the hotel they frequented, the half pagan god finally appeared. John Winchester was surprised the demi-god’s appearance. The Trickster was not very tall with amber eyes and slightly long chestnut hair. The damn thing was even sucking on a lollipop as he lured his victim into his trap. John did not care about the pastor; the only thing that mattered was getting the Trickster to help Dean.

The pastor easily fell into the Trickster’s trap. He was lured by a pretty young girl who transformed into She Hulk and snapped the perverted man in half. John did not even feel a lick of sympathy as the man’s back was broken painfully. Reaching into his jacket, the hunter pulled out a stake and dipped it in the pastor’s blood. Luckily, the Trickster was too busy laughing at his own work to notice the hunter creeping up behind the creature.

When John moved to strike, the appearance of the Trickster flickered away. The hunter did a double take at the monster’s disappearance; he should have known it would not be that easy. Dark eyes quickly scanned the surrounding area. Where did that demi-god go?

“I always knew that a Winchester would come after me one day,” the voice of the Trickster commented, “I’m surprised that it was you that tracked me down and not one of your boys.”

The Trickster’s words caused the Winchester to pause. How did this Pagan deity know about his two sons? Could the creature before him have something to do with Dean’s current condition? “What do you know about my sons?” John venomously demanded for answers.

John turned his head and came face to face with the smiling Trickster. “I know more than you know,” the Trickster cryptically answered.

Turning his body to face the creature, the hunter gripped the stake in his hand tighter. It was taking everything inside him not to kill this monster before him. “Enlighten me then,” the hunter growled.

Rather than answer, the Trickster continued to smirk. With a snap of his fingers, the body of the dead holy man vanished along with the apparition created to lure the victim. There was a dangerous glint in the demi-god’s eyes, but it was there and gone in a flash. “Why are you here?” the Trickster instead questioned.

The memory of last seeing his eldest son flashed before the Winchester’s eyes. Surprisingly, his grip on the stake loosened before it fell to the ground. Like he said before, he would do anything to save his children. “I came here to ask you for your help,” John admitted truthfully.

If the Trickster was surprised by this confession, he hid it well. “What kind of help does the legendary John Winchester need?” the creature wondered. It had to be something; John Winchester was not known to be merciful on a hunt or team up with any kind of creature.

Closing his eyes, the Winchester answered, “It’s my son, Dean. He got hit with some kind of curse, and you might be the only one with the mojo to help him and reverse the spell.”

Licking his lips, the Trickster closed his eyes. The fear in the hunter’s eyes was all too real, and it unnerved the creature. He was surprised the eldest Winchester boy was in such danger. Why didn’t one of his siblings intervene? It was not like Heaven to jeopardize Dean’s future plans to serve Heaven. Perhaps this was for more serious than the hunter before him even realized. “Ok, I’ll help you and fill my charity quota for the century,” the Trickster spoke.

Relief washed over John Winchester. He could not wait to return to the Roadhouse with a cure for Dean. “Thank you,” John softly spoke.

* * *

Sam was antsy throughout the whole drive. It annoyed Bobby to no end, but the older male kept silent. Sam could not help it; he needed to see Dean. The younger Winchester needed to know his big brother was going to be alright. “How much longer?” Sam whined.

Bobby rolled his eyes and turned right, turning onto a new road. Sam and Dean were one in the same in regards to their need to protect the other. “Calm down boy. We will get there within an hour,” Singer answered in a gruff voice.

The Winchester sighed and crossed his arms as he leaned back in his seat. He did not want to wait another hour to see his brother. “Dean could make it in under forty five minutes,” the Winchester grumbled underneath his breath.

Singer bit the inside of his cheek as he shook his head. He resisted the urge to smack the boy. Instead, he leaned forward to turn the music up louder. Even he was ready for this damn car ride to be over.

* * *

Jo ignored the knocking on the bathroom door. Her eyes stayed on her reflective form in the bathroom mirror. She continued to primp her hair and check herself out. She knew she was good looking; after all, there was a long list of hunters and regular men who stopped by the Roadhouse looking for a chance to get into her pants. So why was it so hard to get the attention of the man she actually wanted? Granted, Dean Winchester was mute and had no idea who he actually was. But Jo wanted to be there for him. Maybe when he got his memories back, Dean would remember her kindness towards him, and they could have a chance to actually try and be something.

When the knocking continued, Jo rolled her chocately orbs as she moved to unlock the door. “Alright already,” she grumbled as she opened the bathroom door, “bathroom is all yours.” It was a woman that Jo had seen around the bar but never got the woman’s name. The unnamed woman shouldered passed Jo in a rush to get inside the bathroom.

Ellen rolled her eyes as she spotted her daughter returning from the restroom. Jo was wearing her tightest pair of jeans, a tank top that was tight as well as exposing part of her mid-drift, and an open red flannel shirt. Her daughter was dressed to impress, and Ellen knew exactly who her daughter was trying to impress. It was going to be hard for Jo to realize that Dean Winchester was not looking back at her. Rolling her eyes once more, Ellen ordered, “Just get back to work.”

Jo mimicked her mother and rolled her eyes at Ellen’s words. Even though she was annoyed, she still made her way to behind the bar and brushed passed the man working behind it. Poor Dean slightly flinched at the contact, and he spilt the drunk he pouring. Jo giggled at his actions, and she brushed up against his back. “Here, let me take care of that,” she whispered in his ear.

Dean watched with wide eyes as she reached around him with a rag to wipe away the spilt liquid. He licked his lips, but no words came out of his mouth. As he adverted his eyes, he moved away from her and returned to his previous task. Jo sighed in frustration, but she was not ready to give up just yet.

Ellen looked up when she heard the door open and shut. She could not help but smile when she recognized the form of Bobby Singer. It was about time he returned. Although, she did not recognize the young man trailing behind the seasoned hunter. “’Bout time you made it back here,” she stated as she made her way over to the new arrivals.

Sam’s eyes scanned the bar for his brother’s form. The younger Winchester knew it was rude to brush off this woman, but he could not rest until he saw his brother. “Where’s Dean?” Sam found himself demanding answers.

She knew right away who the tall, young man was; there was no doubt that this was Sam Winchester. The same time Ellen pointed, hazel eyes locked onto the form of his brother. Sam’s breath caught in his throat at the sight of Dean, and after a moment’s pause, he made his way over to Dean. It was not until Sam was a foot away when emerald orbs looked up to the tall man. The younger Winchester did not even hesitate to pull his big brother into his arms. Dean was frozen as he was pulled into a tight hug by the other male. Meanwhile, Sam closed his eyes and drank in his brother’s presence. It was not until this moment that Sam realized how much he missed his big brother.

After a long moment, the two brothers finally broke apart from their embrace. Sam’s face was so full of emotion. Even thought things were not the best at the moment between the siblings, the younger Winchester still loved his big brother; Dean was still everything to Sam. Normally, Dean would be pushing Sam away while complaining about chick flick moments. This time though, Dean said nothing. So the taller male moved away to look into his brother’s eyes. There was no recognition in Dean’s green eyes. That realization cut Sam deeply. Dean did not even remember his little brother, who Dean pretty much singlehandedly raised…. How could Dean forget Sam?

“Dean?” Sam pleaded for his brother to remember. But all Sam got was a blank stare as green eyes blinked back at the taller man. Bobby had informed Sam about Dean on the drive over and warned the Winchester that Dean might not remember his brother. Knowing it and living it were two very different things though. Sam could not help but be hurt by his brother’s forgetfulness.

Bobby placed a hand on the younger Winchester’s shoulder. The older hunter was hoping by bringing Sam to Dean that it might bring back something of Dean, but it was no such luck. Hopefully John was having better luck getting the Trickster to help them and return soon. “I’m sorry Sam,” Bobby whispered comfortingly. Sam closed his eyes and bit back the tears. The first time he had seen his sibling in four years, and Dean had no idea who Sam was. Hell, Dean has no idea who the hell he even is.

“How ‘bout a drink?” Ellen Harvelle offered, sensing the tension in the youngest Winchester.

Hazel eyes finally turned away from his brother and focused on the older woman. Smiling tightly he replied, “A beer sounds good.”

Ellen nodded her head and turned back to the Winchester she was a little more familiar with. “Three beers Dean,” she ordered the young man. It was easy for Dean to go back to the routine of preparing drinks.

Sam could not help but watch his brother as he reached under the bar for the three beers, and then Dean opened them silently with a bottle opener. Once that was done, Ellen grabbed the bottles and passed two of them to Sam and Bobby. The three of them sat at the corner of the bar where all three of them could keep an eye on the green eyed Winchester. “How has he been doing?” Bobby asked. He has not seen Dean since Bobby and John dropped him off a few days ago.

Ellen took a quick sip of her beer before answering, “He’s been fine. Everyone has left him alone, even the hunters who recognize him as John’s son.”

That eased some of the anxiety in the male hunters. “So how long do you think Dad will be?” Sam wondered. Even though he may not be exactly looking forward to seeing his father again, the presence of John Winchester now represented a cure for the eldest Winchester son.

Huffing, Bobby took a heavy drink of his beer before answering, “The last time I heard from him, he was hot on the Trickster’s trail. And you know better than I how hard he is to reach when he is in the thick of the hunt.”

Oh yes, Sam knew all too well; he had many instances of disappointment from his childhood to prove that true. It was tough, but all they could do now was wait.

* * *

It was a few hours later when John Winchester finally pulled into the Roadhouse. His companion sighed in relief when they pulled into the parking lot. “Finally,” the Trickster sighed in relief, “I thought we were never going to get here. You humans travel from place to place so slow.”

John Winchester rolled his eyes at his new companion. There was nothing more annoying than a bored Trickster, and the hunter raised two teenage boys! “Just follow me inside. Dean is in here,” the hunter grunted.

As the Trickster got out of the truck, he wondered, “Is Sammy also here as well?” Maybe this was something that affected both brothers. The Trickster was still curious why the angels had not stepped in. If something happened to the Righteous Man, why hadn’t Michael gotten involved to protect his true vessel?

The hunter spotted Bobby’s car in the parking lot, and the Winchester knew instinctively that his friend had been successful in his mission. “Sam is probably inside,” John answered, “why do you want to know?”

Shrugging his shoulders, the Trickster lied, “Just curious.” He was ready to get to the bottom of this mystery.

Bibby sighed in relief when he saw John Winchester walk into the Roadhouse with another male. It had to be the Trickster. Damn John… he may be a bastard, but he was one hell of a hunter.

The Trickster spotted Dean Winchester behind the bar cleaning glasses. The sight made the creature stop dead in his track with wide eyes. All those who knew what was on eyed the Winchester with puzzlement as they waited for an explanation. However, the Trickster could not get over what laid before him. This could not be possible….

John Winchester grabbed the creature’s shoulder. The hunter did not like the look on the pagan god’s face. “Do you think you can fix my son?” John almost pleaded with the supernatural creature.

A part of the Trickster wanted to just walk forward and handle this himself, but the Trickster did not want Heaven to realize the truth behind him. But there was one who could help at the moment, but he just had to find her. “I can’t help at the moment, but I promise that I will bring the key to curing him,” the Trickster answered truthfully.

The Trickster’s answer was surprising to Bobby Singer. After all, these types of creatures were not known to be helpful to humans at all. So Singer demanded, “How do we know this is not a trick?”

Amber eyes would not leave the form of Dean Winchester. He still could not believe it. Raising his hands in surrender, the Trickster responded, “No tricks. For reasons you can’t understand, I want to see Dean cured and returned to his original state. I will be back soon with the right tools.” Then the Trickster snapped his fingers and vanished.

It sucked because they were now going to have to wait again for someone to bring help and a cure. Everyone just wanted Dean back.


	4. Chapter 4

With the Trickster gone, Sam finally turned to his father. Sam swallowed and slowly gazed at his father. It has been years since Sam has been in the same room with his old man. The last time they were together it did not go so well. The two had a massive blowout, one for the ages; all Sam wanted to do was go to school. However, John did not take the news well. So the pair shouted at each other at the top of their lungs, and the two came damn close to coming to blows. Sam was certain it would happen, but of course Dean got in the middle of his waring family. As Dean got Sam out of the house, the younger sibling heard his father yell, “If you walk out that door, don’t you dare come back!”

As stubborn as his father, Sam walked out that door without looking back. It was for the best, and Sam just had to keep moving forward. This was his opportunity to start a new life, and he was going to put his family in the past.

John Winchester licked his lips as he took a moment to study his youngest son. Sam had grown up so much since the last time they saw one another. Of course San did not know that his father would swing by Palo Alto to check in on his boy. It was so hard to say, but John was so proud of his son… both of them. Mary would be so proud to see the men her boys had become.

“Hey Sammy,” John greeted warmly, “been a long time. You look good.” Though he may never say it out loud, John missed his son terribly.

Softly smiling, Sam thought about what he was going to say to his father. Were they going to pick up where they left off? “Hey Dad,” Sam greeted back.

They stared at one another for a long moment before the two pulled each other in a hug. Sam closed his eyes and let go of all his ill will toward his father. In the end, this was his dad, and Sam still loved him. “It’s great to see you,” Sam added in a whisper into John’s ear.

John smiled as he broke away from his son’s embrace. “Glad you are here Sam,” the father responded. The Winchester patriarch knew Dean would be ecstatic when he realized Sam was here to support him.

It was a sigh of relief to know things were good between Sam and his old man. It was good to leave the past in the past and keep moving forward.

A few hours later, the two Winchesters and Bobby moved to their own table in the corner. They still kept Dean and the Harvelle women in their sights. Ellen was right; everyone visiting the Roadhouse left the mute hunter alone. On the other hand, plenty of hunters stopped by their table. There were so many hunters surprised to see the likes of John Winchester at this establishment. The eldest of the three Winchesters had not been by the Roadhouse in a decade. In addition, Bobby Singer was well known in the hunter circle. Many hunters, like John Winchester, have ended up at Singer Salvage Yard needing help on a hunt or a guide into the hunter world.

A tall hunter with spiky black hair was one such hunter who walked up to the trio. “Hey John,” the young man greeted.

John Winchester raised his eyebrows as he smiled back at the strange hunter. “Good to see ya David,” the rugged Winchester greeted back.

David nodded his head in Dean’s direction. The aforementioned male was mixing three jacks and coke. David then asked, “Heard that your boy isn’t speaking much anymore. Is it true?”

John bit his lip. He hated to be reminded of his failure. “Yeah,” he answered in a clipped tone. Hopefully this hunter would take the hint.

David whistled at the news. It was surprising that the great Dean Winchester was reduced to such state. “You know what caused it?” David continued to probe.

Sam, Bobby, and John all shared a look with one another. Why did David keep talking? Couldn’t he just leave well enough alone? “Witches,” Sam answered for his father.

It was then that David finally took the hint. This was clearly a family issue, and David’s presence was no longer welcome. “I hope he gets better soon,” the young hunter said in all seriousness.

Both John and Sam looked away. They hated to be reminded that Dean was still stuck as a shell of his former self, and there was nothing they could do about it. Sensing the tension in his companions, Bobby decided to be the one to speak up, “Thanks David. It was good seeing you.”

David knew better when he over welcomed his stay, so the young hunter took his leave. Before he made his way out of the Roadhouse, David walked over to Dean and left the Winchester a nice tip. The young man felt like this was the start of some major changes for the Winchesters and hell even the rest of the hunting community.

* * *

It was not until the middle of the next day when the Trickster finally made an appearance at the Roadhouse. Everyone sitting jumped to their feet when they spotted the aforementioned supernatural creature standing in front of the jukebox with a half-eaten candy bar in his hands. “About damn time,” Bobby Singer muttered as he followed after the Winchesters toward the Trickster.

Meanwhile, Sam demanded, “Did you bring a cure for Dean?” If the Trickster did not have a cure for Dean, then the Trickster had run out of his usefulness.

The Trickster licked his lips as he turned around to face the group of hunters. “Why hello there Sammy,” the demi-god greeted with a hunt of enthusiasm, “nice to see you too.”

Hazel eyes rolled in response. “Still didn’t answer my question,” the young hunter muttered with frustration mounting in his voice.

Sighing dramatically, the Pagan god rolled his amber eyes, and the half eaten candy bar in his hand vanished. He hated getting straight down to the point. “Alright, fine,” the Trickster agreed as he reached into his jacket and pulled out a folder and handed it off to the group of hunters, “take a look at this.”

Bobby was the one to take the folder. He opened it and quickly began to read. At the same time, John’s frustration was mounting. “Well I thought you were bringing a cure, not a file about it.”

Sam shifted so he could read the file over Bobby’s shoulder. “Who’s Anna Milton?” Sam wondered. Why was this girl so important?

Before the Trickster could respond, Bobby spoke up, “She was locked up in an insane asylum a week ago.” Wait, why was that date so familiar? “That’s the same date Dean got hit with that curse!”

The Trickster nodded his head. The humans were beginning to connect the dots. “The two of them are connected in some way, and we need to bring the two of them together,” the Pagan demi-god added.

There was a puzzled expression on Sam Winchester’s face. “Why didn’t you just bring her here in the first place?” he questioned.

Bobby had continued to read the file on Anna. When he reached the end of the file, he exclaimed, “She escaped two days ago!”

John shook his head and sighed. Why did everything have to be so hard for the Winchesters? He grumbled, “How is this supposed to help us?”

The Trickster rolled his amber eyes. “Well,” he replied, “I’m gonna find her and bring her here.” Humans were so slow to the finish line.

Sam took another step closer to the supernatural creature. “Then what are you still doing here?” the young man spoke in a dead panned voice. There was something dangerous in his tone.

Meanwhile, the Trickster took a quick look around. He wondered, “Where’s Dean?” The Trickster needed to know Dean was in the same condition as he last saw the mute male. Hopefully this cure restored everything in Dean.

Ellen cleared her throat. She was not certain if she liked this creature before her asking about Dean. She had started to feel real protective and motherly to the eldest Winchester son since he came into her bar. Reluctantly she answered, “Dean is with Jo in town getting some supplies.” It was hard to let the two of them out of her sight.

In all seriousness, the Trickster responded, “Keep Dean here safe. You never know what might be lurking while he is in the state he’s in.”

His words put everyone on edge, especially John Winchester. The father angrily spoke, “Are you threatening my son?”

The Trickster shook his head in response. There was a strange look in his eyes. In a soft voice, he answered, “I’m not, but there are things out there that are a lot less pleasant than I am. And they would love to get their hands on him.”

Sam raised an eyebrow at the demi-god’s words. “Why do I get the feeling that you know more than you are letting on,” the hunter mused. It was hard to explain but it was a feeling he had.

Rather than answer, the Trickster just snapped his fingers and vanished. Once again, he left everyone with more questions than answers.

A couple of hours later, Ellen, Jo, and Dean were starting their preparations to opening the Roadhouse tonight. Jo was wiping down tables, Ellen was cutting lime, and Dean was bringing in cases from the stock room. Sam wanted to be useful, so he was wiping down the tables. Bobby was helping Ellen on a different front; he was sorting through some files she came across to determine if they were a hunt or not. John needed something to keep his mind off things, and Sam kept giving him the stink eye every time his father so much as looked at the bottles on the bar. Thus the Winchester went out to get them all food.

Twenty minutes later, John returned with burgers and fries for everyone. He and Bobby sat at the same table while they ate their lunches. Bobby had Anna’s file opened, and he scanned it as he ate his meal. He needed to know everything he could about this young woman. “This isn’t her first time needed professional help,” the experienced hunter commented.

The Winchester raised an eyebrow before taking a bite of his fry. “Really?” John mused, “So she has always been crazy.”

The other male nodded his head, but he did not fully agree with his friend. “When she was two, she kept insisting that her dad was not her real dad, and her real dad was so mad at her that he wanted her dead.”

John’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. He responded, “As someone who raised two toddlers that is not something you hear very often.” In fact, it was downright strange.

After wiping his mouth with a napkin, Bobby agreed with his friend on that matter, “Oh yeah. She got some therapy, and she was back to normal.”

Sam heard his father and Bobby talking about this girl, Anna. After moving over to their table, the tall male asked, “What did she do to get locked up in the mental ward this time around?”

Bobby flipped toward the end of the file. “The day before Dean showed up at my place, she was in her college class when she started shouting that they were going to find her and kill her for disobeying, and they were going to do the same thing to him. He needed her.”

The younger Winchester did a double take. “What the hell does she mean by that?” he responded. Was the he she was to Dean?

John threw his burger wrapper into the white paper bag. He wanted to know the same thing. “Hopefully the Trickster finds her soon,” he commented.

A little while later, the door to the Roadhouse opened, and the Trickster walked inside with a woman. She had dark red hair and brown-green hazel eyes. Her skin was porcelain and creamy, and her frame was on the slighter side. She wore blue jeans, a white low cut button down shirt, and a green army style jacket. It seemed like she was nervous to be here, and she kept looking around like she was searching for an escape.

All three men stood up, and they looked at the new arrivals. “Is that her?” John curiously asked. All three men hoped it was indeed Anna.

The Trickster nodded his head in confirmation. “In the flesh. Now, where is Dean?” he responded. He just needed Dead and Anna to see one another.

Before anyone could answer, Dean walked into the main room with an open beer in his hand. He made it to the corner edge of the bar when his green eyes looked at the entrance. At that moment, green eyes locked on to hazel ones. It seemed like the world stopped. Dean dropped the beer he was holding, and it broke when it impacted with the counter. It was strange behavior from Dean; ever since he lost his memory, he gave no such reaction to anyone – stranger or someone he knew. John and Sam glanced at one another. Was this a good thing?

While keeping their eyes locked together, Anna made her way over to the green eyed male. When they were less than a foot apart, Anna stopped and reached for a piece of broken glass. John moved to stop the strange and crazy woman, but the Trickster reached out to stop the hunter. They needed to see this.

First, Anna sliced across her own palm. Then she reached for Dean’s hand and did the same thing to him. Lifting their hands to eye level, she interlocked their fingers and pressed their palms together. Dean closed his eyes in response. Meanwhile, Anna smiled and said, “Dean.”

Opening his green eyes, Dean finally uttered in a rough voice, “Anna.”


	5. Chapter 5

No one could possibly believe it. Did they just hear Dean speak? What was it about this girl to get such a reaction, or any sort of reaction, from the cursed Winchester? Was she a threat? They would need to know sooner rather than later in case they needed to deal with her.

Jo was especially upset by Anna’s arrival. The blond was nothing but jealous. What was so special about this other woman? Why her and not Jo? It was wrong to feel this way, but Jo wished that either Anna never showed her face or was the one in Anna’s place at Dean’s side.

The Trickster was smiling. All of his suspicions were confirmed by the scene before him. The Trickster knew bringing Dean and Anna together would heal the both of them. Plus, it was nice to bring the pair a little bit of happiness… especially with the knowledge of what was coming. Now all the Trickster had to do was disappear before Dean recognized him; his secret needed to be kept.

At the same time, Dean and Anna smiled at one another. There was no way to describe how much elation they had in their hearts for at last being reunited. The red head reached her hand forward to softly caress his cheek. Her eyes were watery as she uttered, “I missed you so much. I thought I may never see you again.”

Dean closed his eyes and took another step closer to the red head before him. They were so close, they could feel each other’s breaths on their faces. “I am so happy we found each other again. I’ve missed you so much too.”

Then they brought their lips together in a passionate embrace. Dean’s hands were on the sides of her face, and hers were on his waist. Their eyes were closed as their tongues danced in each other’s mouths. Anna moaned at the sensation, and she pressed her body closer to his. With the two of them pressed so close together, Dean’s hands shifted from her head to one in her hair and the other around her waist. He quickly spun them and pressed her against the bar. She moaned in response, and she kissed him more enthusiastically. Before they knew it, he lifted her up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Both of them had the need to fully connect once more like they have not done in a lifetime.

All the other humans in the room were uncomfortable watching the couple exchange saliva. The Trickster could not care less because he was right and fixed the love birds. The hunters though needed some answers, and they were not going to get any anytime soon if they did not break up the love fest. All of them needed to know if Dean was indeed back with his full memory and not twisted into something else.

John Winchester, being the father that he is, took it upon himself to break up the love birds. As only a father could do, John cleared his throat loudly and ordered, “Alright that is enough with that. Save it for when the two of you are alone.”

Like a good son, Dean followed his father’s orders, and the two reunited lovers broke away from each other. They still stayed with arms reach of each other. Dean and Anna glanced at the others, and there was recognition in Dean’s emerald orbs. “Ok Dad,” he responded.

The eldest of the Winchester’s breath caught in his throat. It felt so good to have his son back; it was difficult to see Dean in that fragile condition. “Glad to have you back Ace,” John commented with a smile.

Jo cleared her throat. She decided that she was going to be the one to demand, “This is so great, but the who the hell are you?” in reference to Anna. Besides, maybe now that Dean had his memory back, he and Jo could finally have their shot.

Anna blushed, and she squeezed Dean’s hand softly in hers. Like Dean, all of her memories of her past were rushing back to her when they kick started their bond once again. “I go by Anna now,” she began to answer.

Bobby raised an eyebrow. It seemed like she was reluctant to answer wholly and truthfully. “And what did you use to go by?” he wondered.

Biting her bottom lip, Anna adverted her gaze. Admitting the truth out loud would force her to accept her old life, which means that she would have to start the process of returning to her forming station because Dean could never stay where he is now. “I’m an angel,” she stated bluntly.

Everyone’s mouth’s dropped open at the admission. Did she seriously just say that? There was no way that she could be an angel. Angels do not exist… right? No one, hunter or otherwise, has seen an angel. The only one that was willing to believe her words was Sam. Bobby too was willing to hear her out. Sam was a man who still had faith, despite what he had seen in the last twenty two years of his life. This just reaffirms everything he believes. Bobby has seen all kinds of supernatural creatures in his tenure as a hunter. Just because no one had yet to see an angel does not mean that they do not exist. After all, there was more lore on angels than most supernatural creatures; that had to account for something.

John Winchester was still in a state of denial. “That can’t be. There are no such thing as angels,” he responded as though he was trying to convince himself.

Dean swallowed. It was so hard to try and balance his two separate lives at the moment. Luckily, in both lives, he was always an obedient son. So he spoke up, “It’s true dad. She was once an angel before she became human. We remember our pasts now.”

All eyes turned to the green eyed male. Was Dean talking crazy? It had to be because this was Dean. Looking into his brother’s eyes, Sam replied, “What do you mean Dean?”

The aforementioned man turned back to the red headed woman standing beside him. They had been apart for too long, and he wanted, no needed, to drink her presence in. “Our pasts, what we truly are. How could I ever forget you?” he said to her more so than anyone else.

Anna smiled at his words and moved her forehead to rest against his. The two closed their eyes at the physical contact. “I had forgotten you too my love as I lived my human life,” she spoke softly to him.

Bobby cleared his throat. His mind was an analytical one, and he needed all the information before making a decision. “Dean, you keep bringing up your own past life,” the experienced hunter began, “what, or I guess who, is yer old life?”

Reluctantly, Dean turned back to the others in the room. Once when he told them the truth about him, their perceptions would change forever. Would they even believe him? “I am the First Son,” he cryptically answered.

A part of Ellen did not want to believe in any of this. Maybe this was all the Trickster’s doing. After all, he was the one to bring the strange girl to them, and after she got here is when the crazy talk started. Ellen quickly glanced around. The Trickster was nowhere in sight. Where the hell did he go? It was easier to blame the Trickster than accept the truth.

John Winchester was still living in the land of denial, but his world was beginning to shatter. It was just like those days all those years ago after Mary died, and he learned the truth of what was really out there. “What the hell do you mean, you are the First Son?” John demanded answers. Dean was the first son; he was John’s first boy.

Meanwhile, Bobby was connecting Dean’s answer to Anna’s past, and a theory was forming in the hunter’s mind. Did Dean actually mean what Bobby thought the boy meant? “Are you saying you are actually the first son, as in Adam from the book of Genesis?” Bobby theorized.

Dean, however, shook his head. He remembered Adam very well, but that was not who Dean was. Instead he responded, “I am far older than Adam. I am the first of God’s creations.” He was not ready to say his true name just yet. People trembled in fear and awe at the mere thought of his true self.

Out of everyone, it was Sam who connected all the dots and realized the truth. If Dean was claiming to be the first and older than Adam, then Dean had to be talking about being an angel like Anna. It would explain their connection to one another. Now which angel was the first…. “You mean, your God’s first as in the oldest angel,” the younger Winchester surmised.

With a deep breath, Dean nodded his head. He silently prayed that his human family’s views and feelings of him would not change as they learned the truth. “That’s right Sam,” Dean answered.

Jo cleared her throat. All of this was crazy, and it was so far out of her realm of comfortness. “Did you have a name as an angel?” she wondered. Her understanding of the bible was very limited; being raised by hunters does that.

Dean swallowed before answering, “I am Michael.” There he said it; there was no going back now.

Mostly everyone gasped at Dean’s words. Michael was a pretty well-known and famous angel, and mostly everyone knew his importance to the bible. “Are you serious?” Ellen uttered in disbelief. Even she was feeling overwhelmed at the moment.

The hunters were confused. How could Dean and Anna be angels if they were human? John remembered when his eldest son was born; Mary had given birth to a perfectly healthy and human baby. “How is this even possible?” John asked as he took a seat.

“My grace,” Dean tried to explain, “I lost my grace, and I fell from Heaven where I was reborn as human.” It was really complicated to explain, but the hardest part was that Dean could not remember his fall and why he did it in the first place.

Anna reached forward to caress his arm in comfort and support. She had thought he was lost to her forever. “Our grace is what makes us angels, like humans have souls,” she added.

Jo then focused her attentions back on the red head. Her own jealousy was dissipating; Dean’s truth just came with a lot to accept. Still, Jo was somewhat distrustful of the other woman. “Do you have angelic name too?” Jo interrogated, “And what’s your story with him?”

Blushing even more heavily, Anna quickly answered as though she had just been chastised, “I am Azrael.” Her name would probably be one that was a lot less familiar to the others as Michael was to them.

Of course Bobby would be the one to recognize the name. “As in the angel of death?” he asked in disbelief. This was all far bigger than anything he dealt with in the past.

“Not exactly. I do work with Death and the Reapers, but I am not the personification of Death that humans tend to believe,” she explained.

“So then the two of you work alongside one another then?” Jo continued to press for answers. She wanted to know the exact nature of Dean and Anna’s relationship.

Dean answered for his companion, “Anna is one of all the angels that fall under my command, but she is also my mate.” Anna was Dean’s ray of light in the darkness.

John’s mouth dropped open. From his knowledge as a hunter, with vampires and werewolves a mate meant a lifetime commitment. Did it mean the same for angels? “As in, she’s your angelic wife?” the father asked for clarification.

Anna nodded her head, confirming his suspicions. “We have been mated for the past two thousand years,” she added. It was the best part of her existence, and she did not regret her decision to accept his offer of mateship even though the other angels frowned upon it.

Talk about surprise revelations! It was hard to believe that Dean, the womanizer that he was known to be, was in a committed relationship. But none of them have seen Dean act in such a way with any other woman before in the past, and they knew that she must be someone truly special to him then.

Sam was still stuck on the idea that Dean and Anna were once angels but now were humans. “Why would you fall and become human?” Sam questioned. Why would anyone want to give up being an angel?

Dean turned his head and looked away; he could not answer that question. On the other hand, Anna could answer. “After Michael vanished in Heaven, I felt lost. I could not find him, and I was stuck on Earth as an invisible observer as I waited for my next orders. I was guilty of wanting more. So I ripped out my grace and fell,” she explained.

John raised an eyebrow at her choice of words. “Ripped out,” he repeated. It did not sound pleasant in the slightest.

Anna nodded her head once. She crossed her arms over her chest as she remembered the experience. “Think of it like cutting out your kidney with a butter knife,” she elaborated.

Sam inwardly shuddered. He could not imagine willingly causing that much onto himself. He now understood why Anna fell, but that still did not explain his brother. “Dean, why did you fall?” the younger sibling softly asked.

Dean huffed in frustration and paced back and forth for a moment. Then he looked back into his brother’s hazel eyes. “I cannot remember,” he answered truthfully. The truth honestly terrified Dean. Why would he ever choose to fall and leave Heaven unguarded? He was not one to disobey orders.

“Why can’t you remember?” Sam responded. A sense of dread was beginning to fill the hunters; they could all sense something was coming.

“I don’t know, but I know I would never willingly give up my grace,” Dean added, “it is my duty to protect Heaven, and I cannot do that in such a weakened state. Can’t even return to Heaven like this.”

John shook his head in familiar astonishment. Even with all these new revelations, it still sounded like the boy he raised. “Aren’t there other angels who can fill in for you?” John responded curiously.

Dean refused to answer that question. Humans were never going to understand his duty. There were still so many mysteries that they needed to focus on anyways. For now though, Dean stated, “We need to get out of here.”

Ellen bit her bottom lip. Why would they need to leave? “Why?” she asked aloud. They had everything they need to protect themselves here. Besides, nothing, no one, knew they were even there, aside from the Trickster.

Taking a quick breath, Dean answered, “Now that we have our memories back Anna and I will be a beacon to all those who know of our true existence. We need to keep moving before they find us.”

Jumping back to his feet, John replied, “Who is they?” Was Dean meaning they were going to have to fight whatever comes their way?

Before Dean could answer, the lights in the Roadhouse began to flicker. The option to run was gone. It was too late; something was coming. Moreover, it was already here.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Some depictions of violence and torture in this chapter.

Everyone began to look panicked, especially Anna. It was one of two things coming, and she was not sure which one she wanted it to be… demons or angels. With either one, it did not bode well for Dean or Anna.

When the lights stopped flickering, John and Bobby shared a look while Dean sighed in relief. It was not angels that were coming, and the green eyed male was relieved by that fact. He was not ready to deal with his brethren just yet. Meanwhile, both John and Bobby were calm with the knowing that they were familiar with what was coming.

A moment later, the doors to the Roadhouse were thrown open. Three people walked inside, two men and one woman. It was clear that the woman was in charge. She had short blond hair and dark brown eyes. There was a dangerous glint in those dark eyes, and the other two moved to block the door. It anyone wanted to leave the Roadhouse, they would have to go through the demons first. “Well, well, well, look what we have here,” the female demon commented as her eyes went completely black.

Dean raised an eyebrow as he appraised the female demon. “You are one ugly bitch,” Dean responded in a dead pan voice.

The demon huffed before backhanding the eldest Winchester child. Dean was knocked back the force of the blow, but he refused to make any sounds of discomfort. “And just think, I’m only the welcoming party,” she added.

After righting himself, Dean moved so he was standing in front of the evil woman once more. He replied, “And what do they call you… skanky bitch number 4?”

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “This meat bag likes to call herself Meg. And I like this packaging; she is very quiet and hot. So call me Meg.”

Sam cleared his throat. It has been a long time since the younger Winchester had dealt with demons. “And who are we waiting on?” he wondered.

“She has been keeping you busy until I arrived,” spoke an unfamiliar masculine voice. The voice belonged to an older man in his mid-forties. His hair was thin and light; he was average height and average build. There was a sick and twisted smile on his face that promised things were going to go well for the hunters.

The confidence on Dean Winchester’s face vanished, and in its place was surprise and shock. “You?” Dean’s voice was full of surprise.

The man’s eyes shifted from human hazel to a demonic yellow that was all too familiar to the Winchester clan. “Me,” the Yellow-Eyed Demon spoke.

John Winchester jumped to his feet, and he squeezed his fists so tightly that his knuckles were white. He hated the demon before him with every fiber of his being. “YOU!!!” the Winchester seethed through clenched teeth.

Yellow eyes turned to the eldest of the three Winchesters. “John boy,” the demon commented, “It’s good to see you. How’s the family?” It was always so amusing to push the Winchester’s buttons.

Dean took a step forward, bringing the demon’s attentions back on him. He demanded, “What are you doing here Azazel?” It was no secret that Dean detested demons; he just hated this demon more so than the others due to what happened to Mary Winchester.

Bobby raised an eyebrow and mused aloud, “Azazel, what the hell is an Azazel?” He had never heard of such a word before.

The green eyed male briefly glanced at his surrogate father. “It’s the demon’s name,” Dean answered. However, he still kept his focus on the dangerous demon before him.

Scowling even further, John added with disdain, “Doesn’t sound like a very intimidating name.” It was one of the few pieces of information he did not have on the Yellow Eyed Demon.

Meg’s eyes narrowed as she took a step closer to the eldest Winchester. “Watch what you say about my father, or else you will be missing another member of your family,” she threatened him.

Before John Winchester could respond to the demon’s threat, Azazel took another step closer to the green eyed male. The evil smile had never left the Yellow Eyed Demon’s face. “I could not believe it when I found out what you really are. I had to come see you for myself,” Azazel stated as he invaded Dean’s personal space, “And can I just say it is so interesting to see an angel without their wings.”

Dean’s lip curled in silent fury. He hated to be reminded of all that he lost. There was one thing that he was certain about and that was the fact that he needed to get his grace back. “Laugh it up,” Dean responded, “because when I get my grace back, this will be a whole different conversation.”

Azazel’s eyes traveled from the former archangel to the younger Winchester. His yellow demonic eyes glowed with enthusiasm. “So I was right about everything, even you Sammy boy!” the demon enthusiastically stated.

Poor Sam appeared so confused; he had no idea what the demon was talking about. However, John and Dean did, and Dean appeared to have more righteous fury at the demon’s words. After all, the former archangel understood perfectly Sam’s dark destiny. “You leave him out of this!” Dean threatened the demon.

The smugness could not be wiped from Azazel’s face. The Yellow-Eyed Demon now had some leverage over the once most fearsome archangel. “Oh, you never told them the truth,” Azazel realized, ”not even the truth about dear sweet Mary.”

The tension in the room was mounting. It was never smart to bring up Mary to the remaining Winchester clan. Even though Dean no longer possessed his grace, the air still chilled at his silent fury. “You don’t get to say her name!” he seethed with dark eyes.

The smirk on Azazel’s face merely widened further. He was not scared of this poor excuse of an angel; he was no longer a threat to Azazel and his plans. The demon taunted, “I remember how sweet her lips tasted when we made that deal.” He wanted to destroy the Winchesters and watch the show.

John took another step forward without thinking about his actions. “What the hell do you mean by that?” he demanded. How could the Yellow-Eyed Demon claim that Mary made a demonic deal? Mary had no knowledge of the supernatural.

Yellow Eyes focused back on the former archangel. “Yes, Dean,” the demon accentuated the name, “tell your family the truth.”

Dean closed his eyes and shook his head. He did not think his family could handle the whole truth. “Fine. Yes, she made a deal with this filthy demon,” Dean began. Inwardly, he cringed; the truth was about to destroy the little family he had left.

Everyone else was so confused. How could Mary make a deal with a demon, and how could Dean know about it? “What kind of deal did she make?” Sam asked for clarification. There was no way that Sam was not going to get answers now.

Azazel turned back to his favorite Winchester. As he stepped closer to Sam, the demon spoke, “Why it was all about you of course. I needed permission to come to your nursery that night. You were always my favorite of my special children. I knew you were going to be the one.” He could not wait to see the look on Winchesters’ faces when they learned the truth.

There was a confused look on the tall male’s face. Did this have to do with the weird dreams Sam has been having lately? “What do you have planned for me?” he continued to question.

Shrugging his shoulders, Azazel answered, “Nothing that your mother didn’t agree to. You know she could still be alive if she did not come into the nursery that night and bother us.”

John knew about the demon blood the demon infested in his younger son. John, however, never knew that Mary encouraged this by making a deal. “Why?” he softly demanded. But a part of him had a sinking suspicion that Dean also knew the reason why as well.

Azazel licked his lips as he enjoyed the Winchester’s suffering. “Do you want to tell dear Daddy the answer to his question Dean-o?” the demon toyed with the green eyed male.

Dean’s nostrils flared as he inhaled deeply. He was not going to answer that at all. “You think I didn’t know what happened in that church all those years ago. You must have felt real special to hear from Him. Too bad you will never be His favorite,” Dean responded cryptically without ever saying his brother’s name.

There was nothing that was going to stop Azazel in freeing his Lord. No silly fallen archangel was going to stop him. “I see you want to keep secrets from your family,” the demon began, “I’ll let you keep those secrets… for a price.”

Green eyes narrowed in mistrust. There was no way he was going to make a deal with a demon. Demonic deals led to nothing but suffering and torment. So he asked, “And what do you want in trade for your silence?” It was not like he was going to make the deal; Dean just needed to know the demon’s end game.

It seemed like the demon was pondering his thoughts for an answer for a moment before a large grin broke out on his evil face. “Why don’t you tell me how to open a very special cage, and I’ll get this matter drop. Hey, I may even throw in a reunion with Mommy Winchester,” the demon suggested with a lick of his lips.

Everyone froze at the demon’s offer. What would Dean decide? But Dean already knew his answer, and nothing was going to change it. There was no way he could help open THAT cage. “There is nothing in this world that could tempt me into helping you free Him,” Dean stated in all seriousness.

“Maybe I could change your mind,” spoke another unfamiliar masculine voice. The voice was attached to a slender man of average height. His dark hair was beginning to gray and go bald. What was most startling about this strange man was his eyes. Rather than the typical demonic black that filled his eyes, they were milky white.

Bobby, John, and Ellen had never seen a demon with white eyes before, and they were all unsettled by this startling realization. Whoever this demon was, he could be higher up on the demonic food chain than even the Yellow-Eyed Demon.

Dean, of course, recognized the demonic newcomer. Biting his lip, Dean greeted, “Alastair, you are a long way from home.” There was no doubt that Alastair was a bigger threat than even Azazel. Seems like Hell was sending in the big guns for him; it was just a matter of time before she would make an appearance.

The smile on the aforementioned demon’s face was disturbing. It was even unsettling for all the demons in the room; they made sure to give Alastair a wide berth. The Yellow-Eyed Demon shifted on his feet in unease. No demon was dumb enough to be caught in Alastair’s ire. The rack was still traumatizing to demons. Turning to the other demon, Azazel questioned, “What are you doing here? I have this handled.”

Alastair waved his fellow demon off. More demons followed him inside the Roadhouse. “Management felt that this situation needed more specialized hands to get what we need. So SHE sent me because I am the best, and SHE is still locked away in Hell,” the terrifying demon explained.

Azazel seemed to pale at the mention of this so called management. Three was no demon more terrifying than HER! “She sent you?” the Yellow-Eyed demon repeated. How could She not trust him with this job?

Lightly clearing his throat, John caught his eldest son’s attention. When green eyes turned to his father, John asked, “Who is Alastair and this she they keep mentioning?” Since now it appeared that Dean was the resident demon expert.

Before Dean answered his father, Dean continued to comment to Alastair, “You must love this change of scenery. It’s not every day that you leave your hidey hole.”

Sighing dramatically, Alastair responded, “I know; it’s so cold and drafty up here. I miss the sounds of screams and when it is practically pouring down blood. Ah the smell of freshly spilled blood…. You can help me with the homesickness though.”

After listening to those unsettling words, Dean turned back to his human father. “Alastair here is the Grand Torturer of Hell,” the former archangel explained, and he already knew why Alastair was here.

Alastair smiled at his introduction and gave a mock bow in greeting. He then pulled a blade from his waistband as he descended upon his victim. “You know, this body you inhabit was always destined to end up on my rack,” he spoke as he thrusted the blade into the green eyed male’s side.

Dean grunted at the pain and did his best to keep his face blank. He was not going to give the demon any satisfaction. “That the best you got?” Dean taunted.

As he snapped his fingers, Alastair licked his lips in anticipation. One of the demons who arrived with Alastair handed their master a cat o’ nine tails that had sharp curved blades at the end of each whip. Alastair gave the torture device a loving caress as he stated, “We could always take this downstairs if you’re uncomfortable.”

Spitting away the pain, Dean grinned, “Sorry, I don’t have a soul that can be dragged to Hell, so you are out of luck,” he responded.

Alastair nodded his head at the two demons closest to him. Those two demons grabbed Dean by each arm and pulled. With Dean pushed into such a vulnerable position, Alastair ripped off the shirts that protected Dean’s torso and back. “Last chance,” Alastair offered, “tell me how to open the cage and you can end your suffering before it begins.”

Dean closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was willing to endure suffering to keep the cage sealed. With a leveled voice, Dean simply answered, “No.”

There was no denying that Alastair was pleased by Dean’s response. “I never had the pleasure of having an angel, much less an archangel, on my rack before,” the white eyed demon mused as he shifted to stand behind his target, “is it true that where your wings would be is one your more sensitive areas?”

The green eyed male did not get a chance to answer because Alastair was already striking Dean’s sensitive flesh with the cat o’ nine tails. The former archangel could not help but try out in agony as his flesh was torn into again and again with each repeated blow. Blood sprayed Alastair and the demons holding down their victim. Flesh and muscle was torn and destroyed, and it was horrible to gaze at the mess that was the Winchester’s back. His companions were having a hard enough time listening to Dean’s agonized screams.

When there was hardly enough flesh to tear into, Alastair stopped his assault and asked, “Once again, are you ready to tell me how to open the cage?”

Dean was panting; he took a minute to reign in his pain. With a shake of his head, Dean once again answered, “No.” Dean would die before he helped the Fallen One.

Frustration was beginning to fill the Grand Torturer. “I will get you to talk, even if it takes you to the brink of death,” Alastair forebodingly promised.

Before anyone could anything else, the lights began to flicker once more, and the doors began to shake in their closed position. Great, who else was coming to this party?


	7. Chapter 7

Even the demons appeared to be confused by the lights suddenly flickering. Then something even stranger happened; the closed door of the Roadhouse began to shake as though something was trying to break in. Ellen, Jo, Bobby, and Sam all shared a terrified look. They did not believe things could get worse after the Yellow-Eyed Demon arrived. But they were proven wrong by Alastair’s appearance. There was an actual demon that was worse than the Yellow-Eyed Demon; one that other demons feared. Now there something coming that even put a demon like Alastair on edge.

Meanwhile, the demons holding Dean’s outstretched arms loosened their grip on their captive. The former archangel practically collapsed on the ground in a boneless heap. The green eyed male was panting with sweat dripping down his face. His skin was pale, but his back was a bloody mess. Even his jeans were heavily stained with blood. Anna gazed at her mate with worry in her hazel eyes. He was not looking too well, and she wanted nothing more than to help him. Both of the former angels knew what was coming. Anna continued to hope that they, but especially Dean, would survive this upcoming encounter.

As the lights exploded, the door to the Roadhouse was blown open. A moment later, two men walked into the bar, one right after the other. The first person was a black man who was bald and had a stocky build. The other man was balding, middle aged man who was slightly pudgy. It seemed like the second guy was the one calling the shots between the two.

Meg studied the two newcomers with suspicion in her eyes. She had no idea who these two men were, but she could guess they were not here to sell cookies. “Who are you?” she demanded.

The first male glared wickedly at the female demon. “Quiet demon scum!” he yelled in a crisp and tight voice. The air swirled with his rage.

Anna studied the two men before recognition filled her hazel eyes. “Uriel is that you?” Anna spoke, “And you Zachariah? It’s good to see the both of you.”

Zachariah’s intense gaze focused on the red head. “Azrael… oh, I mean you go by Anna now. Wow, I can’t believe how weak and fragile you are now.” It seemed like there has been a long history of animosity between the two of them.

Uriel quickly closed the gap between himself and the former female angel. Then he grabbed her arm as he glared down at her. “You will be returning to Heaven to face the consequences of your crimes,” the angel stated.

Azazel ‘tsked’, tsked’, and ‘tsked’ as he circled the two angels. “She is not going anywhere,” the Yellow-Eyed Demon began. After all, the demon knew the red head was good leverage over their real target.

Anna flinched as Uriel’s grip on her arm tightened enough to deeply bruise her skin. As Uriel’s focus shifted to the demonic forces, he tossed the red head into a nearby table, which incapacitated her. Anna cried out as her body collided hard with the table and chairs, and the table collapsed on her unconscious body.

With all his strength, Dean managed to climb onto his forearms, pushing himself into all fours. “Anna!” he called out to his mate. She had to be ok; he could not lose her again, not after her finding her so recently.

All eyes turned to the weakened man. Alastair could not resist the urge to kick the green eyed male’s exposed abdomen. Dean groaned in pain as a rib or two was cracked from the blow. As he watched Dean curl into the fetal position, Zachariah cleared his throat. “I wouldn’t if I were you,” the angel warned, “this is a family matter.”

The hunters understood instantly that these two men were indeed angels. None of them had ever been in the presence of an angel before, so they were uncertain how to act. But the angels were here to make things better….

Alastair shook his head in disagreement. These two angels were nothing to a demon of his caliber. The white-eyed demon replied, “No. He is my special guest, and I’m not letting him go until he gives me what I want.” To prove his point, Alastair grabbed the human by the back of his head and held him against his body as the demon licked off some blood from the back of Dean’s neck.

Zachariah sighed dramatically. He shook his head once as he commented, “My, my Michael… you have certainly fallen far from grace. Pardon my pun.” He laughed at his own joke. All angels looked up to the powerful archangel, Michael, and it was sickly satisfying to see Michael knocked off his high pedestal.

It was hard for Dean to focus, and his green eyes were glassy. Even though it took a little bit longer than normal, Dean managed to keep his eyes on his brethren. “That the best you got for me. I gotta say that I’m disappointed. But what should I expect from the two of you,” Dean responded in a strained voice.

The former archangel’s words stung a bit, but Zachariah was not done for the count. “It’s funny that you think you are only going to deal with me when I take you back home. But you know that he will be waiting for you.” Zachariah responded.

Dean flinched at his younger brother’s words. The green eyed male knew exactly who Zachariah was talking about, and Dean also knew this particular angel would never try to understand Dean’s side of things.

Pushing the damaged Winchester onto his knees, Alastair glared at the feathery winged bastard before the demon. “I told you that he will be leaving with me, and I dare you to stop me,” Alastair threatened.

It was then that all hell broke loose. One of the nameless demons tried to sneak behind Uriel, but the angel was prepared for the sneak attack. The angel shoved the demon into the closest wall and placed a palm on the demon’s forehead. The nameless demon began to shout in pain as he began to glow. As the brightness increased, so did the demon’s cries. Then it was over, and the demon collapsed down to the ground dead. Uriel had smote the demon.

Uriel did the same to the next closest demon. Zachariah was forced to smite the demon closest to Meg. Then it was only Meg, Azazel, and Alastair as the last remaining demons. The demon dressed as a young blond woman looked around with actual fear in her dark eyes. She turned to her demonic father and apologized, “I’m sorry.” Tossing her head back, the demon left the body she was possessing.

Alastair remained unaffected by the angels’ show of strength. Bravely, he took a step closer to Uriel. “It will be fun to take out an angel with its wings,” he commented.

Just like he was trained to do, Uriel faced the white eyed demon head on. When Uriel attempted to smite Alastair like the angel had done with the other demons, nothing happened. Alastair grinned sadistically as stated, “You don’t have the juice to take me out. Now let me show you a trick I got up my sleeve.” He then began to chant in Latin, and Uriel began to glow in response.

Jo bit her lip nervously. How were they supposed to go against threats like the ones before her very eyes? “What are you doing to him?” she asked with trepidation.

Alastair paused in his chanting to answer, “Evicting this angel off Earth. Demons aren’t the only ones that can be exorcised.” The less angels to get in the way of their plans, the better.

Dean was heaving as he struggled out of his prone position once more. He was so weak; the heavy blood loss was taking a toll on his system. It was a miracle that he made it to a kneeling position. “Stop!” he demanded.

Two sets of demonic eyes zeroed in on the former archangel. Dean’s head kept lolling to the side, and his glassy eyes were droopy. Azazel grinned at his weakened condition. “What are you going to do to stop us?” the Yellow-Eyed Demon snidely remarked.

As Dean opened his mouth to answer, a loud and high pitch screeching filled the inside of the Roadhouse. All the humans covered their ears as the flinched and groaned at the agony from the strange sound. Even the windows shook due to the decibels. Both Azazel and Alastair shared a look with one another. On the other hand, both Uriel and Zachariah seemed rather smug by this new development.

The longer the screeching lasted, the more damage it caused. The glass windows began to crack, and it would not be long before they shattered. The hunters’ ears began to bleed from the sustained abuse their ear drums were assaulted with.

Swallowing, Dean looked up at the ceiling with a mix of confusion and recognition. “Little brother, is that you?” he wondered aloud. This could be very interesting for he knew who was coming.

After all the glass shattered, the strange sound finally dissipated. Anna during that time had regained consciousness and sat on the side of her legs. There was undeniable look of pure terror on her delicate face. “He’s here,” she uttered.

Before any of the hunters could ask what she meant, Dean closed his eyes and smiled faintly. “Hello Raphael,” he spoke aloud. He was ready to face his younger brother as he ever would be.

Everyone in the room, demon and hunter alike, knew the name Raphael. An actual archangel was about to make his appearance. Like his daughter, Azazel took the cowardly way out. Rather than wait for the archangel’s appearance, the Yellow-Eyed Demon jumped ship and vanished. None of the hunters had ever seen an archangel before, so they did not know what to expect.

There was a bright flash of light, and it seemed like lightning was striking from the form appearing from the flash of light. It was a tall black man. The lightning formed wings on his back as he stood tall. When his eyes glanced at the others in the room, the wings vanished, which caused a blackout in the surrounding area.

Zachariah lowered his eyes in deference to the archangel’s much higher rank. “Raphael,” the lesser angel greeted respectfully. All angels knew about Raphael’s holier-than-thou attitude, and it was something to tread lightly around.

John Winchester was frustrated. His world has been rocked and shattered in the last twenty four hours. Not only did angels exist, but so did archangels as well. It made him wonder what else that was out there was indeed real. Lifting his head to absorb all the vibrato he had, the Winchester patriarch commented, “For a supposed archangel that wasn’t much of a display of power. Even a demon can take out the lights in a room.”

The intense gaze from Raphael zeroed in on the eldest Winchester. John gulped form the sheer force of intensity from the archangel. “Try the entire Mid-West,” the archangel countered.

When the hunter had no words to respond, Raphael turned back to the last remaining demon in the room. “If you think I will allow you to continue torturing Michael…” Raphael’s response died off as his eyes glowed as he accessed his grace.

Cursing underneath his breath, Alastair retreated. The angels may have won the battle today, but Alastair was not going to stop in achieving his mission, and Michael was the key to that success.

Anna was nervous and fearful as Raphael turned to Dean. It was no secret in Heaven that Raphael looked up to his big brother, Michael. The younger sibling always stuck by his eldest brother even when they lost the other two archangels. Raphael was an even bigger stickler for following orders than their leader. Who knew how Raphael would take Michael’s fall….

Dean’s face was blank as Raphael closed the distance between the two of them. “Well, well, well,” the archangel began, “I had worried about you when you disappeared from home. Come to find out you are just like our brother.”

Green eyes narrowed in resentment. Though he was on his knees in front of his brother, Dean still did not feel like the lesser sibling. “I am NOTHING like him,” the former archangel responded, “don’t forget who you are speaking to little brother.”

Raphael grabbed his sibling by the front of his shirt. “You were once the most powerful in Heaven and led our Father’s forces. But now you are no different than the weak and simpering humans that drove our Father away,” Raphael added.

Keeping their eyes locked together, Dean replied, “What are you trying to say Raphael?” Perhaps this was his only chance to escape his prophesized fate of fighting his favored sibling. It seemed like Raphael wanted to punish his eldest brother for his supposed crime.

The archangel lifted his brother into the air and shoved him harshly. Dean’s injured back harshly collided with the bar. “I will make you regret abandoning your duties. Our brother’s fate will be nothing compared to what I am going to do you,” Raphael threatened.

Once again the archangel descended upon his sibling. Raphael delivered blow after blow to the weakened make Dean was fading fast; it was evident that he would not be able to take much more. Then Raphael flung Dean into the wall once more. Dean collided waist first into one of the shattered windows. No one saw it, but a piece of glass pierced Dean’s chest from the impact.

Anna refused to watch her mate be murdered before her very eyes. Using a piece of scrap metal, Anna cut her palm once more. She used her blood to draw symbols on the ground. When Dean rammed into the window, Anna shouted “Raphael!”

All three angelic beings turned to the red head. When she realized she had their attentions, Anna slammed her hand down on the banishing spell. The shadows of the angels’ wings were revealed before they disappeared in a flash of light.

As soon as they confirmed the angels were indeed gone, everyone raced over to Dean’s side. John was the first to reach his son, and he gathered his eldest in his arms. It was then revealed to the others the shard of glass had pierced Dean side between his ribs, and with the way he was gasping and coughing for breath that the glass had pierced his lung. “No! You can’t die on me!” John cried out.

Dean did not have time to get to a hospital; he was fading real fast. Ellen and Jo already had tears in their eyes They believed this was the end for Dean. But Sam was still in denial. “No!” he shouted.

In an instant, the Trickster appeared alongside the fellow hunters. “Let me see him,” the demi-god demanded.

Rather than argue, the Winchesters allowed the Trickster access to their dying family member. The Trickster placed two fingers on Dean’s forehead, and the former archangel was instantly healed of his injuries. Dean’s eyes were still closed, but it was a restful bliss.

Sam stared at the Trickster with questioning hazel eyes. Why would the Trickster save Dean? So Sam asked the shorter male, “Why help him, and us for that matter?”

As the Trickster looked away from the unconscious male, he answered, “I couldn’t let him die. We have too much history for it to end this way.”

Rubbing his beard, Bobby wondered, “Who or what are you?” The hunter was beginning to realize the Trickster was more than he appeared to be.

Once again the Trickster vanished before answering them. However Anna gave his secret away. “Thank you Gabriel.”


	8. Chapter 8

Ellen quickly took care of Anna’s hand in a quick but efficient patch job. John and Sam carried Dean to the back store room where there was an old cot for the unconscious male to rest on. Meanwhile Jo began the tedious task of sweeping up all the broken glass, and Bobby fortified the Roadhouse with salt lines. None of them were sure they were going to stay here after all that happened earlier. Once Dean awoke from his injuries was when the decision to stay or go would be made.

“I’m sorry for everything,” Anna apologized once Ellen had finished bandaging her palm. It was their fault the hunters got put into this mess; none of hunters asked to be caught in the middle of the war between Heaven and Hell.

The Harvelle matriarch smiled tightly. It was one thing to fight demons. After all, every hunter comes across a demon at some point in the lifestyle. Angers were just a whole new ballgame, and they are not exactly what Ellen always imagined angels to be like. “It’s alright,” the older woman responded, “you didn’t ask for this either.”

Anna sucked in her bottom lip as she absorbed what it means to be human. At the same time, John and Sam returned to the main floor. Sam took a seat close to Anna. As soon as he sat down, his phone began to ring. Checking the caller id Sam realized it was Jess calling, but he still let it go to voicemail. Jess could wait for the moment. The younger Winchester had bigger concerns at the moment, like getting answers to the questions he still had concerning Dean and Anna. After putting his phone back in his pocket, Sam finally asked, “Hey Anna, can I ask you a couple more questions?”

The red head turned to the younger Winchester, and her gaze was so full of emotion as she seemingly stared into his soul. “What do you want to know Sam?” she wondered for she was an open book… especially to those close to her mate.

Sam cleared his throat before speaking what was on his mind. “Was Dean, or should I say Michael, like the other angels we met earlier?” Those other angels were something else….

Taking a deep breath, Anna began to explain, “Uriel is a specialist. He is kind of an acquired taste. Zachariah is a garrison leader. He much prefers to give orders than get involved so much himself.”

The younger Winchester’s curiosity only grew and grew. “I know we talked earlier about you being the angel of death and all that,” he interrupted without malice, “but what was your rank or position when you were an angel?” Was she an archangel too?

Anna answered, “Uriel was part of my garrison along with Balthazar, Hannah, and Castiel….” Her breath caught at the mere thought of Castiel; it had been so long since she has seen him. How was he doing? What were his thoughts on hers and Michael’s actions?

Well that explained the tension between Anna and Zachariah; they were competing in the same position. Sam thought back to Raphael’s appearance. Even Zachariah seemed nervous around the third angel. “And Raphael is much higher than the three of you,” he thought out loud.

The red head nodded her head. “Archangels are of the highest ranking. They are fierce and absolute and Heaven’s most terrifying weapon,” she added.

Her words were chilling to all those listening. Not even Hell’s most fearsome demons wanted to tangle with an archangel. “You seemed scared of Raphael. Is he more powerful than even Michael?” Jo found herself asking. It wasn’t like she knew much about angels anyways.

However, Anna shook her head solemnly. “Michael is the oldest of the archangels and the most powerful in Heaven. It’s the reason he is the Commander of the Host,” she elaborated.

Bobby figured if they were already down the rabbit hole, then he should know how to navigate this crazy world. So he pulled out a bible and started to understand what they were up against.

Suddenly, Dean came stumbling out of the back room with wide green eyes. As he clutched the door frame, he shouted, “Gabriel!”

Anna immediately jumped to her feet and raced to her mate’s side. She wrapped an arm around his waist, which allowed him to lean some of his weight on her. “He’s already gone,” she tried to explain.

Green eyes appeared forlorn by this fact. He had not seen his younger brother in so long, and it barely soothed the ache to know Gabriel was still alive. Exhaling, Dean promised himself that he will see Gabriel soon; the green eyed male was not going to lose another sibling. “He’ll be back,” he muttered aloud. Today’s events proved that Gabriel could not stay away.

“Here, take a seat,” Anna ordered as she led her mate to the closest seat near the others in the room. When he was seated, she still remained close to his side. She was so afraid of losing him once more.

When both former angels were seated, Sam cleared his throat to gather the lovers’ attention. He just did not know where to begin. The big brother who raised him and had not seen in years was an actual angel. Not just any angel, Dean was Michael. Now Heaven and Hell were after them to get to Sam’s big brother. This had to be the biggest hunting job… ever! Rather than ask the million questions that were still plaguing his mind, he instead simply asked, “How are you feeling?”

Dean stared at his human brother’s form for a brief moment. Even with his past life returning to him, Sam was Dean’s favorite, which is why Dean had to do everything in his power to save his brother from his destiny. “I’m fine,” the older sibling answered, “just a little bit hungry.”

Instantly, Ellen was on her feet. “I can help with that,” she stated, “let me make you something.” It was a way for to feel useful, and what else was she supposed to do in the presence of an archangel?

After Ellen raced off to the kitchen, Dean stood up and reached over the bar to pour himself two fingers of whiskey. He turned back to his mate and asked, “Can I pour you a glass?”

Anna smiled and shook her head. “I prefer tequila over whiskey any fay,” she responded. The dark alcohols were not to the red head’s taste. Maybe she was still a bit wild; she had only been human for twenty two years.

Dean raised an eyebrow at her choice, but he still poured her a shot of tequila. “Next thing you are going to tell me you don’t even like pie!” he exclaimed in amusement.

Huffing, the red head downed the offered shot of tequila before she moved to stand beside her man against the bar. She licked her lips before replying, “Pie is pretty delicious, but it has nothing on chocolate cake.”

The green eyed male clutched his heart as though he was wounded. “There is no way that’s true! Nothing beats pie,” he disagreed. He had forgotten how easy it was to be with her.

Biting her bottom lip, the red head pressed her body against her lover as he gazed into those vibrant emerald orbs. “I think we can agree those tasty treats have nothing on the pleasure of sex,” she teased.

He swallowed as his eyes darkened with lust. “You are certainly right about that,” he agreed. His had reached out to lightly grasp at her waist. His breath could be felt on her neck. “You know in all our years together, we have never done it the human way.”

Anna raised a challenging eyebrow. If he wanted her, then he could have her… if he made the first move. It was just like the mating flights of Heaven. “We are going to need a new hide away place. After all our lovely garden on the Tigris and Euphrates has been destroyed in the fifties,” she added in a breathy whisper.

The two lovers stared into each other’s darkened eyes. “I used to love sneaking down on Earth to spend some quality time with you,” he admitted honestly.

Once again, John Winchester had to break up the love fest by clearing his throat. With the way the two were acting, one would think the two lovers would just rip off their clothes and do the nasty right there and then on the floor in front of everyone.

It was at that moment that Ellen made her return; she walked into the main room with a plate of quesadillas. It was quick and easy for her to make. “Eat up,” she ordered as she placed the plate in front of the eldest Winchester son.

Dean was starving, so he quickly dug into his meal. He moaned at the taste. “These are so good Ellen!” Dean commented, “I am going to miss the taste of food when I get my grace back.”

Sam and Jo focused on different parts of Dean’s words. “You mean you angels don’t eat!” Jo responded in disbelief.

At the same time, Sam replied, “So you are going to become an angel again.”

The former archangel swallowed. He could only deal with one problem at a time, so he started with the easier one. “Yes, angels don’t need to eat or sleep to survive,” he grabbed his near empty glass of whiskey, “we also can’t get drunk. So bottom’s up.” He quickly downed the rest of the amber liquid in one go.

Hazel eyes narrowed in frustration. Even though Dean was revealed to be an archangel, one trait that had not changed was his avoidance of certain topics. “Answer my question Dean,” the younger brother demanded.

Dean sighed; he did not wish to start another fight with his family. “I have to Sammy,” he started to explain, “it’s the only way.” If there was any other way… sadly there was never going to be another way.

Of course, the taller male knew his brother was not saying everything, and Sam was so sick of all the half-truths since the Trickster showed up. Slamming his fist on the table, Sam demanded, “Damn it Dean, would you just explain yourself just once. I’m sick of all these lies!”

With a heavy heart, Dean closed his eyes and silently agreed with his brother. Sam deserved to know the truth. “Alright,” the older of the two agreed, “what do you want to know?” He still was unsure if he could tell his brother everything though.

Sam’s lips were thinned and his jaw was still tight even with this peace offering from his brother. “Why are you so weird talking about Earth?” the Winchester decided to start his line of questioning there.

Green eyes glanced at his mate’s hazel ones, who were nothing but warm and reassuring. When the former archangel turned back to his sibling, Dean answered, “I’m not normally allowed on Earth.”

Crossing his arms over his chest, the taller male was not fully satisfied by his big brother’s response. Dean had better explain himself better if Sam were to have any peace. “What do you mean by that?” he asked for clarification.

Dean licked his lips. He could answer this without giving away too much. “Besides handling a few demonic insurgences, I was not allowed to come to Earth. This is the longest I have actually been here and not in Heaven,” the green eyed male elaborated.

Sam looked at his brother with puzzlement in his hazel eyes. What did Dean mean by that? Weren’t angels supposed to come and go on Earth? “Why aren’t you allowed to stay on Earth?” Sam wondered.

“Because your presence here signifies the end of days,” Bobby answered for Dean. The seasoned hunter slammed the bible he was reading shut as he stared at the two brothers.

John Winchester looked back and forth between Bobby and Dean. Someone had better start explaining. “What does he mean by that?” John ordered his son to answer.

The former archangel took a deep breath before adding, “My arrival on Earth is prophesized-” Dean was interrupted once again before he could finish his explanation.

Bobby tossed down the bible in front of Dean as he interrupted, “It is all in the book of Revelations. You can read it right there.” Singer could not believe what he stumbled across.

There was a confused look on Ellen’s face. “Wait… doesn’t the Book of Revelations talk about when the damn devil will walk the earth?” she wondered as she did her best to remember what she learned from bible study.

Jo crossed her arms over chest in a defensive manner. “The devil is just a story meant to keep Christians in church,” she thought aloud. But she was beginning to wonder if the devil was indeed a myth like she thought.

Anna licked her lips and decided to speak up for her mate. “The devil, or Lucifer, is real and he is an angel.” Although she was just out of her fledging years at the time, Anna remembered Lucifer’s fall.

Sam had been silent for this time, but he kept his eyes on his brother. “Dean,” Sam softly spoke, “can you explain this?” The younger Winchester could tell his brother was on the edge.

Dean stood up and began to pace back and forth to vent his negative emotions. “Lucifer was once known as the Light Bringer or the Morningstar, the brightest of all us angels,” his mind wandered back to his once favorite sibling.

John raised an eyebrow. He was slightly disgusted by son’s nonchalance when discussing the root of all evil. “How can you speak so kindly of that monster? There is no worse creature out there than him!” John exclaimed.

The former archangel whirred around to confront the others; his emerald orbs were blazing with fury. “Watch how you speak about my little brother,” he warned, “I love my brother. I mean he was everyone’s favorite, even our Father’s. Lucifer was something else. I practically raised him in a way that most wouldn’t even understand. He was my little brother….. Then, he betrayed everything we believe in.” He dropped his head in misery; he missed his little brother terribly.

The way Dean described his relationship with the devil was a lot like the way Dean would describe his relationship with Sam; it was very unsettling. Still, John forced himself to ask, “But what does this have to do with Revelations?”

Dean would not look at the others, so Anna answered the question, “Revelations tells when Lucifer will be free from his cage in hell and walk the earth before the final battle.”

The hunters all shared a glance with one another. They end of days… they were talking about the end of days. “Why now?” Sam uttered.

Green eyes finally refocused on the others in the room. “The rapture is set to begin May 14, 2009,” the former archangel added.

The fear and dread that filled the others was palpable. That date was five years and a few months away. Why so soon? “Why then?” Bobby questioned in a shaky voice that he tried to mask with a cough.

Dean’s eyes were guarded. “Because Dean Winchester was always meant to be my vessel,” he tried to explain. He refused to tell the others just yet who was meant to be his brother’s vessel.

John’s eyes widened. Dean could not just stop there after dropping that bomb. “What?” he needed to know more to understand.

His son just shook his head. He could not talk about this anymore, too much pain to remember. “We need to focus on preparing ourselves before the next attack,” Dean instead stated.


End file.
